My "Get Fit" Blogrimage!

Everyone wants a healthy life or say that they do.

No one wakes up saying, "I'm going to eat poison today" or "let's eat a boat load of crap."

Or if you do, stop reading now and go see a therapist.

But really, life is too short to cut yourself off of an amazing healthy and happy life!




Starting on January 1st, I am going on my own health journey. Following a simple health plan, created by Arbonne, along with research, and physical activity, and blogging, I am going on my first "Get Fit" Blogrimage!

Check out my new blog by clicking here!


If you want to join me, I'd love you too!

I sell the product and you can join me in this blogrimage! Order through me before December 31st and get free shipping and 35% off too!!

Use this QR reader below and see more. My blog also has more about what I am doing in the month of January!



What is Arbonne? Learn more on Arbonne's Website

My Arbonne Blog

Merry Christmas, One and All!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

But really it is. I have a new job that I am loving. I have coworkers that I get along with. This is a picture from when we went to Fogo de Chao for our Christmas staff lunch!




The girl next to me in the picture is Anna Grace. She is my new roommate!
Check out her blog!

Oceans and Waves

There is something quite remarkable about the ocean and waves.
Today I sat out on the sands of a beach to look out and see before me an enormous pod of dolphins.
Did you know you can hear them talk when you go under the water?

I could not even believe how many and I kept thinking, God made them for me. He made them for you.
Every day God gives us glimpses of his creation and heart for us by allowing things to grace us with their presence.
I found myself standing at the break of the waves watching to see the next move of any dolphin I could spot.
God wants us to live life like that. To be watching him move in expectancy and wonder what will happen next.
Today is a day to look up and ask God, "What are you going to do next?"

Splashing in Puddles

Splashing in the Puddles

I love rain! I love playing in it and drinking it! I run through it, play football in it, and listen to it. I read a verse today that stood out to me in this passage of scripture Proverbs 25:26. It says "Like a muddied spring or polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked." I looked up the definition of "spring," and the definition for "well" and for some reason I felt to look up "wellspring." I was amazed at what I found and the revelation I had. Besides being a season of the year or a trench of water in the ground, a wellspring is the fountain head, or the source of a body of water, a stream, or a river. It is the supply or source of anything, especially when considered exhaustible. We do so much in a day and normally our day consists of conversations and being around people, and as you know people can be exhausting and take a lot out of us. Just like us, wells and springs in the ground also dry up and lose their water and life. God has entrusted us all with our own "wells." Our mind is a well, and ultimately our heart is a well. Even our degree of influence is a well. God asks us to live generously, and to live our lives on behalf of others. He gives us dreams and visions and influence but how often do we allow our "wells" to be polluted with fear, with doubt, with insecurity? How often do we let our well dry up, or do we go to a mud puddle after the rain rather than a spring, looking for water to quench our thirst? Anything can pollute or spoil our waters, but only God keeps our well clean. Look to Christ to be the one that fills and cleanses your well. Ask him to refill you. Nothing satisfies us like Jesus and if we are not intentional to seek him, our wells we become like mud. Who wants to drink from a muddy puddle?

Tears and Blueprints

Just the other day, I sat in a room at the doctors office waiting to be seen. From another room a baby was SCREAMING at the top of its lungs. I am still unsure as to why the baby was screaming, but all I could think of was its tears. The screaming was giving me such a headache, but then I thought, "That baby sure will sleep good after crying so much."

About 3 hours ago, my entire family left the house and I decided to stay to get a few things done. Just me and Snickers. I put a cd on intending to motivate me to get things done for work, church planting, and my business. Well... I did get a bunch of work done, but also found myself taking time to seek the heart and face of God. I decided to write down everything I have committed to for the next year. Trying to figure out when there would be meetings, vacation, time to sleep, when to eat, when and where, and the list goes on. I was getting overwhelmed trying to think of how things were going to get done and how I was going to fulfill everything I felt called to be apart of in this season of my life. So as you can guess, today I too found myself with tears on my cheeks, praying and surrendering everything that I was thinking while in the presence of God.
I'm convinced that if there was one thing that is both the best and worst feeling in the world, it would be: Crying.

The worst is the headache afterwards that last for hours no matter how much water you drink or tylenol you take.
You are drained.
The best part is the release of built up emotion from places inside that you had no idea stored tears.
"Phew... I feel much better."


The definition of crying is "The shedding of tears as a response and release to an emotional state of the human heart."
Pretty amazing.
I mean think about it... It amazes me how humanity has the ability to release emotion through liquid pouring through the eyes, and how it can be embarrassing for some, or freedom and healing for others.
There are so many reasons why people cry and I once was told that "God loves our tears," regardless of what they are from.

As I was looking through my journal and reading, I found examples everywhere of the faithfulness of God.
I've come to the conclusion that when we don't know why we do what we do, or why we are where we are, God totally does.
In our worry or fear, or anxiousness, or even our discomfort or dissatisfaction, there is a peace and release that comes with surrendering everything. I mean everything.

The picture that comes to mind is a frustrated designer leaning over this table. There are blueprint papers everywhere with notes, ideas and numbers. Nothing makes sense. Hands on his head, he begins to cry, having to let go and trust that the God he knows and loves, is making the best plan ever created.



I am in the middle of a season of what feels like never ending transition and uncertainty. Barely anything makes sense. Trying to make a plan only unable to because every store is out of the blueprint paper I need to write it out on. There are things that remain constant around me (like the sound of video games in the background of all conversations happening in my house). Everyday I have to be intentional to lay down my own plans, my own design, my own project, and take up whatever the Lord has placed for me to do in that day. It is not always glorious. It doesn't always make sense. t is not always rewarding in that moment, and it is not the 1st thing I'd pick to do. However, it is refinement and preparation for the future. It is character building, it is preparing for the battle beyond the wall I have yet to climb over.

I am finding that the only lasting, freeing, and purposeful thing to do is to be honest with God and myself. When I am most honest, I mind that tears follow. Whether they be tears of fear, sadness, excitement, or love, they are still tears. We are called to trust God, and enjoy the ride. Seek him first is what the word of God says to do.

So... where are your blueprints. Are they rolled up, tucked away? Or are they out on the table ready to be written on, and refined?

Habakkuk 2 says to write out a vision, making it very plain. Then, surrender it.

God's plan is the best. It always will be no matter what we do or think.

Radiant Photography is Launching!

I wanted to make you all aware that something exciting is happening in a few hours, Saturday May 8th!

I am launching the baby I have been carrying for 3 years! Radiant Photography is here and it is beautiful!


I want to invite you to come out to the Radiant Photography Launch to see my photography, learn about Radiant and what its all about!!

The website is up and running, though it is still under construction... few kinks to work out, but at least it is something!

My website is: http://www.livingradiant.com

I am really excited and expectant! Regardless of what tomorrow holds and looks like, I know that this has been a total God project in the works and it would not exist if not for him... So with that said... you don't wanna miss tomorrow... and if you do, no worries, this train is moving and you can ride it later too!!!

The launch is being held from 10-2 at the Gilman School Family Festival. Click on "Gilman School" above for the address and mapquest it! When you arrive look for parking! Then follow the noise :) and look through the different booths and you will find mine!!

Hope to see you there and Thanks for reading along and believing in me and the dreams within!

Clogged

This morning driving to the airport at 630 am, we hit some congestion on the expressway. Too much congestion results in a clog, kinda like a toilet does. When lanes get clogged, no one can pass, and people beep their horns. People are impatient and selfish, not letting anyone merge. Accidents create bigger messes on an already clogged or congested expressway due to impatience or a lack of focus.

I am reminded in this season of my life that the only thing that really "clogs" or congests the flow of the spirit of God in my own life is simply, me. When I get distracted or start thinking on self, I begin to "clog" or stop what God could be doing in me. I believe that he is constantly at work within me and working all things out for good as I continue to love him and obey him. I am reminded that my focus must remain on him. If I don't spend time with him or put him first, my alarms bells go off. They are the things I detect in me that aren't my norm. I can get selfish, short with people, lose my focus, or feel discouraged.

I found this picture of a beautiful toilet. In fact it is perfectly clean, fish tank and all. I was thinking, No way does a toilet stay clean.... or does it? When we tend to our heart and our lives, there is no room for it to get congested or clogged. What if our tank, or our lives, looked like this? What would our conversations be, how would we respond to circumstances or people. What if our mind didn't get distracted by the good looking man driving next to you? Well for one, you wouldn't have an accident or fender bender and clearly, you can say good bye to all conversation going 60 miles an hour with wind between 2 windows. But in all reality, there is so much around us hungry for our attention. It could be a good looking co-worker, or it could be the agenda or the to do list.
Regardless, we need to tend to our toilet. We need to tend to our lane. We need to tend to our heart. It is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When our heart is clogged, it blocks the move of God in our lives.